The present invention has applications to spas, hot tubs and the like wherein a spa cover or lid is used to cover the open end of the spa and the same are locked together so as to prevent unwanted tampering or invasion from unauthorized users, such as for example, small children. In such applications, the body member of the invention is securely mounted to the side of the spa and the latch member is fastened to one end of a spa cover strap. The other end of the strap is permanently attached to the spa cover. After the latch member and the body member are interlocked together, a key is used to rotate a rotary member 90.degree. which prevents the separation or removal of the latch member from the body member.
It would be expedient to construct the lockable buckle from a relatively simple design having a minimal number of components so as to facilitate the manufacture and assembly thereof. Furthermore, it would be desirable to fabricate the components of the lockable buckle from a resilient plastic material which can be produced at reduced costs by insert injection molding techniques, but yet provides resistance to corrosion and has high reliability during use.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,464 entitled "Buckle" which was issued to Richard J. Tracy on Apr. 24, 1979, and assigned to the same assignee as this application, there is disclosed a buckle which includes separable cooperating receptacle and clasp members. The receptacle member includes a pair of locking slots formed in opposing sides thereof. The clasp member includes a pair of resilient arms having locking tabs thereon for releasably engaging the locking slots of the receptacle member. However, this '474 patent does not teach or suggest rotary locking means like that of the present invention which prevents the releasable disengagement of the latch member from the body member.